The Vision of Islam

CHAPTER THREE The Straight Path § Is he who walks grovelling upon his face better guided, or he who walks upright upon a straight path? Say, ‘It is He who brought you into being, and made ears and eyes and hearts for you, yet you are seldom grateful.’ —The Quran, 67:22-23 What is the straight path? We learn from the Quran that God has laid down a fixed path for the entire universe. A path which the entire universe is following strictly, even the honeybee (16:68-69). Just as for the proper functioning of everything in the universe it is essential that they follow the divine path appointed by God in total submission, similarly the secret of success for man also lies in following the same. But since man is in a state of trial, he has only been told the right path and he has been given the chance to follow this path or reject it. (76:3). Once God has shown man the straight path, man ought to follow it with total trust and adopt it with total conviction, as being the only path that leads to success (14:12). If man, under the influence of some temporary temptations strays in some other direction, he will lose his foothold on God’s path and when he